Success stories

The process starts from coil

Tube processing specialist, HMD Ltd’s, investiments brings work back to the United Kingdom

Tube processing specialist HMD Ltd's new 21,000 sq. ft. building
in Hoyland Road, Sheffield, has nearly three times the floor area
of its current unit and is home to a four-machine tube processing
cell supplied by BLM GROUP UK Ltd. This new cell is dedicated to
producing copper components and comprises three new machines - BLM
Process, BLM Dynamo- E tube bender and BLM Tube-Form ELE tube end
former - along with an existing

Four systems in one cell

BLM AST25N tube end former. The BLM Process is a fully-automatic
system that uncoils, feeds, straightens, end forms and cuts copper
tube to length burr-free. End forming operations such as beading,
swaging, threading and facing can take place in-line on one tube
end if required. All operations can be programmed individually with
quick changeover times suiting small and medium size batch work as
well as long production runs. The use of coil rather than pre-cut
to length tube and minimal material wastage are two of the cost
saving benefits that result from this approach. Cut to length
pre-endformed parts are loaded to the Dynamo-E five-axis tube
bender, which is capable of bending tube up to 25 mm OD and is
equipped with a CARM7 tube loading system. This allows for
automatic loading without the need for additional specialist
equipment, enabling the machine to run for long periods without
supervision. Automatic loading takes place while the bent part is
being auto unloaded, thereby minimising 'dead' time during the
bending cycle. Two end forming machines have been included in the
cell to keep pace with the output of the BLM Process and the BLM
DYNAM0-E. The fully CNC programmable all-electric BLM TUBE-FORM
ELE's modular design provides for up to six ram stations and a full
combination of ram and rotary tool operation, making it capable of
countless machining and forming variations. The BLM AST25N is
similarly versatile and can also be set up in a wide range of
configurations. One requirement at HMD is for tube fittings to be
assembled with brass hexagon nuts in place before the final end
forming operation is completed.

Copper anche stainless steel

Initially established under the name Hampton Metal Distribution,
HMD is celebrating its 10th anniversary and a new chapter in the
company's history, as Richard Pearson explains. "This business was
set up to service one customer and we could not have taken on
additional work without moving to larger premises, or without
investing in new production equipment." The new tube processing
cell will be joined in the near future by existing BLM equipment
relocated from the smaller unit, including two coilfed BLM Planet
tube processing machines - one dedicated to copper tube and the
other to stainless steel tube. To eliminate any possibility of
cross-contamination, the two coil-fed machines will be relocated to
separate areas, with the ground floor of the new building dedicated
to copper tube processing and the mezzanine floor to stainless
steel tube processing and assembly work. "We spent several months
checking out potential suppliers of tube processing equipment and
then bought our first BLM coil-fed machine," says Richard Pearson.
"The technology has continued to develop over the years, enabling
us now to bend small diameter material with a 0.5 mm wall
thickness." In the case of steel, for example, which is
predominately traded by weight, this equates to a 20 per cent cost
saving. It is also essential to be able to bend tube without
'wrinkles' and to produce very tight radius bends. "There was no
mention of manufacturing in my original business plan," says
Richard Pearson, "and I had no intention of becoming involved in
manufacturing rather than stockholding. However, it is a case of
seeing an opportunity and acting upon it and BLM has always
provided excellent technical support."